‘I’m in this journey alone’: Rep. LaMonica McIver says some Democrats have left her to fight her federal case by herself
At a fireside chat in Newark, New Jersey, moderated by theGrio’s Natasha S. Alford, Rep. LaMonica McIver and Rep. Jasmine Crockett opened up about the victories and challenges of being Black women in public office.
Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) stated she feels alone as she faces federal criminal charges related to a congressional oversight visit to an immigration detention center. She questioned why fellow Democrats have not provided greater support in helping her raise more than $1 million for her legal defense.
During a fireside conversation moderated by TheGrio’s Natasha S. Alford at Newark Symphony Hall, McIver joined Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) for a discussion on leadership, public service and the challenges Black women face in politics. The conversation later turned to McIver’s federal case, with both lawmakers criticizing what they described as a lack of support from the Democratic Party.
McIver was charged after a May 9, 2025, congressional visit to Delaney Hall, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Newark. Federal prosecutors say she attacked law enforcement officers during a confrontation outside the center. McIver denies the claims, saying she was performing her congressional oversight duties.
If found guilty on all three charges, she could face up to 17 years in prison, according to TheGrio and The Associated Press.
When Alford asked how she had been handling things, McIver admitted the case had been very hard on her.
“I’m tired. I mean, honestly, I’m tired in the moment,” McIver said. “It is horrible. It’s a horrible situation. It is so time-consuming. It’s so stressful. It is honestly unbelievable. It’s still shocking that me, as a member of Congress who is there simply doing my job, is going through this.”
While McIver said she is grateful to those who have contributed to her legal defense, she questioned why she has had to bear so much of the burden herself.
“I’m in this journey alone,” she told the audience. “I’m thankful for the people who have my back, who helped me raise the dollars thus far … But at the end of the day, why should someone from the Democratic Party, literally from the Democratic Party, be struggling to get just a million dollars … to fight this case? Why is that so hard?”
McIver said she warned people months ago about what was happening at Delaney Hall. Still, she has noticed that similar events involving other elected officials have gotten far more national attention.
“I told folks now when I see other people getting attacked by this administration, I’m like, I told y’all this last May. I gave you a warning last May,” she said. “I guess it wasn’t good enough for me, a young Black woman from the city of Newark, telling you this is crazy.”
She later pointed out the difference between the attention other targeted officials receive and the limited focus she believes her case has received.
“People who might get a subpoena … [they’re] all over the news. They talking about them everywhere,” McIver said. “Like me, I have a docket number. Like it is LaMonica McIver versus the United States of America. Like three charges.”
Later, Alford asked Crockett to respond to McIver’s comments. The Texas congresswoman became emotional, stating that her colleague’s experience reflects a broader pattern in which Black women consistently support the Democratic Party but often do not receive equivalent support in return.
“The party has broken my heart,” Crockett said. “The women that consistently put themselves on the line—they are Black women for this country … But when we talk about the consistency, Black women are the ones that are on the front lines at all times. At the same time, the very party that we literally lay our bodies down for, somehow we get kicked to the end of the line.”
Crockett then warned that if the administration succeeds in prosecuting McIver, it would not stop with her case.
“If they are able to be successful with her, it will not stop. And, you know, it’s hard to give so much to a party,” Crockett said.
She also questioned why fellow Democrats had not done more to support McIver, saying members of Congress have a responsibility to help colleagues facing unprecedented legal battles.
“The first people that should have been like, ‘We got you,’ they weren’t,” Crockett said. “Our job, sadly enough, is not only to actually legislate, but if you’re a member of the House, we are constantly running. All we do is raise money. So you need to share … You need to be sharing and having her back.”
Despite the frustrations they shared throughout the discussion, both lawmakers urged attendees to remain engaged ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Meanwhile, McIver urged attendees to remain engaged, acknowledging that many Black women are exhausted after years of organizing and advocacy.
“And now what we’re saying is, ‘You took your rest, and now it’s time to get back into the game.’ That is the point of it all,” she said. “Like, you have rested, and now we need you back. And so all of these different women that we’re always talking to, we’re like, ‘[You’ve] got to get back in the game because it’s up to us.”